


Prized

by DerpyPandaQueen



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/F, Knight Adora (She-Ra), Thief Catra, like basically none, not very much glimmer tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27258121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DerpyPandaQueen/pseuds/DerpyPandaQueen
Summary: Adora is sent by her queen to apprehend the notorious thief Catra.Written for the She-Gays Discord Server 1 year Contest! Thank you all for being so wonderful! https://disboard.org/server/632394767694561301I do want to write more for this someday, but I have other things I want to work on first, so unless this gets a lot of attention I probably won't write more for a while
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	Prized

I ride on, through the Whispering Woods, thankfully only needing to stick to the outskirts in order to reach the last sighting of my quarry. I listen to the sounds of nature and my own faintly jangling armor. It's meditative, and one of my favorite parts of knighthood. I've spent many a ride with Princess Glimmer trying to get her to enjoy the peace and quiet, to no avail. Oh well, talking to her is always nice anyways. She's been my best friend, almost a sister, ever since Queen Angella took me off the streets and made me her ward. I endeavored to reward her kindness, and worked hard to achieve knighthood. I'm proud to be the youngest Knight ever made She-Ra, commander of Bright Moon's guard. And here I am now, searching for a certain cat-eared thief who has been plaguing the land.

Alert as I go, I continue through the seemingly ever-shifting forest, until I come across a small clearing. Scanning the trees out of habit, not expecting to find anything out of place, I'm startled to see a figure leaning against a trunk on the opposite side of the space. In the shade of the canopy, I see only the silhouette of a slight figure and 2 eyes of different colors. My heart beat quickens as I see this, knowing this can only be the thief as she was described. Catra. Notorious variably for slipping in and out of vaults completely undetected as well as her more... theatrical crimes, where she takes pleasure in humiliating a noble where all can see. I must admit, hearing those stories is amusing. Hopefully the memories of those acts will keep her entertained during her imprisonment. Looking more closely at the forest around us shows no sign of anyone else here, so I nudge dear Swift Wind further into the clearing.

I call out to her. "Thief! Step out of the shadows and come quietly, and I need not harm you."

As I climb off my horse, she steps out of the shadows, a grin on her face. I take that to mean that we aren't leaving here without a fight, and draw my sword.

Her grin only widens as she draws her rapier, looking me up and down.

I measure her in turn, observing her complete lack of armor, only well made clothes that show her figure very well. Short brown hair presents no obstacle to her eyes, nor an opportunity to grab it, uncouth though it would be.

I sternly tell her, "This isn't a fight you want."

"I promise you it is."

She walks towards me, swinging her rapier in an easily blocked blow. But I won't underestimate her, not if she's this confident.

We trade blows, and I begin to realize just how skilled Catra truly is. She parries a blow I thought for sure would land with a breathy laugh that fogs my mind even as we fight. 

As in any battle, I keep eye contact at all times, and I can see a brightness in her mismatched eyes that suggests she is enjoying this very much. She winks and feints a high swing, dipping her sword low at the last second. Distracted by the display, I barely block it before I have to dodge another attack. I begin to see how she’s evaded capture for so long.

After a series of attacks meant to distract, she just barely steps out of the way of the true attack. Aimed for the torso, it would have incapacitated her but left her alive to bring back to Brightmoon. For all that the fight was very nearly ended, she only laughs, like she's playing with me.

"Almost got me there. But you'll have to try a little bit harder than that. Think you can keep up?"

She picks up her pace, more swings meaning I have to figure out which are meant to hit in even less time. She's incredibly fast, and it certainly doesn't help that she peppers in playful glances and flirtatious giggles and lines... Oh, Maker, why did this quest have to find me? I can’t think straight, and I certainly can’t fight like this.

“What’s wrong, ‘She-Ra’?” She says the title mockingly, a smile on her face. “Something on your mind? You’re not putting up the fight I’d expect a legendary hero like yourself to be capable of.”

I grimace and try to wrest more of my intelligence away from whatever is making me so stupid, each blow not harder or faster, but smarter, better placed. As she works harder to dodge and parry, she only smiles wider. 

Despite her visible nonchalance, I begin to feel like I have the upper hand. Until I realize she’s backing me directly into a tree. My quick attempts to move to either side only result in giving her opportunities to attack, no doubt by design, and I’m forced to retreat backwards, step by step, by the speed of her attacks. How did this happen? Who is this woman? 

As the distance between me and the tree lowers to a scant few inches, I have my last chance at recovery. I push at the tree, stepping to the side, swinging my blade into the distance between myself and Catra, hoping for a miracle. But she's too fast. Her blade rests just barely against my throat before mine can even reach her arm. I have to wrest my sword to a standstill, lest it push her arm to cut me. That would only ensure the choice that she's hopefully still mulling over goes poorly for me. If I step left, she'll slit my throat, and if I step to the right, she'll stun me with a strike from her hilt. I close my eyes, breathing heavily, and drop my sword. She's fast enough that any action I take against her wont be over until I'm already dead. I can only wait, hoping I get to return to Queen Angella empty handed instead of not at all.

I can hear her breathing heavily now, and I can imagine the insufferably pleased look that must be on her face at the moment. 

"Well, well, well."

I turn my face away from her, not wanting her to see the defeat in my expression. I hear her step closer to me, angling her sword so as to close the distance. 

I hear a light, amused, raspy voice almost right up against my ear and shudder. 

"So... does this make me the new She-Ra?"

I open my eyes to glance at her, rewarded with a bright, self-sure smile, and oh, a reward it is, because I can't look away for moment.

"I think you know that isn't how it works."

"Shame. Well, She-Ra, not that it wasn't fun, but I should really be going now. Don't want to get caught by any of Her Majesty's other..." She looks me up and down for a moment and grins. "...fine knights."

My blush grows hotter. I'm sure she only meant to make fun of the quality of our swordsmanship, but the way I took it is very different. Also, I realize I've been blushing for a while, presumably since she pinned me to the tree.

"So. I could either let you go and watch you ride away, or I could let you go and you could fight me again, which won't go as well for you this time. Your queen wouldn't want you to return to her too injured to fight, would she?"

I grimace. "I'll leave."

"Good. Maybe I'll even see you again some time."

I meet her eyes. "By the Light, I'll make sure you do."

She makes a little pleased sound that worms its way into my brain. 

"I can't wait."

She gestures to my horse and removes her sword from my throat. I gesture to my own sword, and she picks it up, examining it. My breath catches in my throat. It's a treasured possession of the Kingdom, and she has every reason to keep it.

"Keep walking, She-Ra."

As I climb onto Swift Wind, she removes my scabbard, sheathes my sword, and puts it in a saddlebag that would be difficult to get to. I let go of a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Ride back to your queen, She-Ra. Maybe this time she'll understand. She's no match for me." 

I watch as she leans against a tree, very similar to when I first saw her. Casually, with no worry for what Queen Angella may bring to bear.

I ride on, glancing back once more before the forest obscures her from view.

* * *

2 weeks after my... failure with Catra. 2 weeks of Queen Angella doting on me, and of Glimmer acting like things are normal. Damn, maybe they are normal and I'm the only one who's being weird, but... 

I failed. Spectacularly. I never even stood a chance. I...

Before I can mope further, a guard bursts into the dining hall, which can only mean something important has happened. 

He kneels, calling out, "Your Highness! A scout has arrived bearing important information on the Horde! She says she must speak to you immediately!"

The Queen stands. "Bring me to her, please."

"She's already-"

An obviously exhausted woman in leather armor trips into the room, breathing heavily. "Your highness, I-"

But as the bells ring around the walls outside, it's obvious what information the woman was bringing to us. The scout falls onto her hands and knees, panting.

Queen Angella pauses to think for a moment. "Thank you, Scout. You bring honor to our kingdom. I must insist you get as much rest as you can." She turns to me. "Adora."

I stand to attention. "I'll get the knights ready."

"Glimmer, we'll need all the help we can get. You have my permission to fight."

Though stunned for a moment, Glimmer nods and draws a symbo in the air, disappearing in a puff of glitter.

I notice the sad expression on the Queen's face. 

"There's nothing for you to worry about, my Queen. She's a fighter."

"I know, Adora. I wish she didn't have to be. I worry for her. Ah, but you need to go prepare. Be safe, my child."

I swallow heavily. "I will be, Angella."

I turn, ready to meet my knights and walk with them towards Death.

* * *

The courtyard is a disaster of bloodshed and swinging metal, and I'm right in the middle of it, surrounded by those who have already met their fate by my hands, and those who are about to. I watch as my comrades put up a valiant fight, and I'm sure victory must be ours. 

Until I hear the shots. They couldn't have gotten them this far without our knowing, especially with the scout's report. But they did. However impossible they should have been, the unmistakable booms ring through the air as what can only be the Horde's cannons fire, raining magically enhanced metal balls onto the battlefield, the ground erupting where they lay. I watch in an instant as a Knight in front of me is practically vaporized by a blast, the explosion blowing me off my feet. 

Pain erupts in my back as I land on the ground, and I can barely see a thing as my vision swims. 

I try to get up, desperate to salvage this battle somehow. Though not paralyzed, my body is weak, and I fail to even stand. I lay there, on the ground, surrounded by the dead and dying. Those who were willing to give their lives to a cause, whatever that cause was. Before I can further philosophize about the nature of war, a figure steps into view. Though my vision is still blurry, I can instantly tell who it is. Catra.

"What a predicament you've gotten into, She-Ra." She lightly tips my chin upwards with the tip of her sword. I inhale sharply, face flushing. I look her up and down... Uh, noticing that she has a bag strapped to her back, presumably full of royal treasures, which is definitely more important a detail than her heavy breathing and cocksure grin. You know, the grin I can't stop staring at.

I lay my head on the ground, tired and defeated. "What are you even doing here, Catra?"

"Well, I got a tip that there might be an opportunity in Brightmoon I could take advantage of. A girl has to make her money somehow."

I sigh heavily. "I see."

I can hear that the cannons have diverted their attention elsewhere, and there is no longer anyone in the courtyard, so we're both safe. For now.

Catra looks around the area, some matter clearly heavy in her mind.

"Catra."

She looks at me, and... for a second, I can convince myself I see concern in her eyes. But her expression shifts, and I'm sure it was something else.

"I know where stores of our artifacts are." I breathe in and out and raise my head to look at her, disbelieving that it's come to this. "Get the Queen out of here, and-"

"She's already gone."

My heart sinks into my stomach, and she must see it on my face, because she says, "Not like that. I overheard soldiers from both sides talking about it. None of them know where her or the Princess are."

"Good." My head lowers back down to the ground. "Good."

A few moments pass. "Um. So is there anything else I can do for that treasure?"

"What else could I possibly need from you?"

She steps into my view, a faintly disbelieving look on her face. "Like getting you out of here?"

Ah. She must really want the stuff. But she's right. I can still find Angella and Glimmer. Still protect them.

"Yes. But how are you going to get someone who can barely move out of a battlefield?"

"I have my ways." She sheathes her rapier and grabs my hand and the opposite shoulder, pulling me to my feet enough that I'm able to help her as much as I can. Which isn't much. I stumble into her, but she catches me and holds me steady. She's surprisingly strong. As she catches me, we make eye contact. Very close eye contact. She looks away the moment we do and drapes my arm over her shoulders. Clearing her throat, she asks, "OK. You ready?"

I nod, my legs already straining at the effort. But we move, however slowly, to whatever escape route Catra has for us.

"So. Does She-Ra have a name?"


End file.
